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THIS WEEK: Cheptegei participates in world’s fastest running course
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Joshua Cheptegei continued his rise in long distance athletics by running the world’s second fastest 15 kilometer race ever at the Seven Hills Race Zevenheuvelenloop in Nijmegen, Netherlands on Nov.09.
The Seven Hills Race Zevenheuvelenloop is considered one of the fastest courses in the world, and the best time ever is held by Leonard Komon of Kenya who ran a time of 41:13minutes at the same event in 2010.
The 21-year-old Cheptegei who is also the World Championships 10,000m silver medalist entered the race primed to make an attempt at the world record, and was boosted by pace setters in the first seven kilometers before taking full charge and clocking an astonishing 41:16 minutes. Despite the strong headwind, Cheptegei managed to get close to the global best time with an impressively fast last 5 kilometers.
Tens of thousands of participants enjoyed good running conditions, with a shower and some wind, from the immaculate 34th Zevenheuvelenloop edition.
The Nijmegen race is a favorite for Cheptegei, who as a nineteen and 20-year-old, won the 32nd and 33rd editions in 42.39 and 42.12.
